FIRST PROPOSITION.

There is satisfactory evidence that many, professing to be original witnesses of the Christian miracles, passed their lives in labours, dangers, and sufferings, voluntarily undergone in attestation of the accounts which they delivered, and solely in consequence of their belief of those accounts; and that they also submitted from the same motives to new rules of conduct.

1st. This is probable from the nature of the case. The Christian religion exists; and could only have been established by the exertions and labours of the Founder and his immediate followers: and this must have been a work of danger, Christianity being opposed to all the fixed opinions and habitual national prejudices of those to whom it was addressed; and being moreover peculiarly exclusive and completely decrying every other religious system. Its propagators, therefore, whether they addressed themselves to Jews or heathens, could not have pursued their object of overthrowing the popular creeds whereever they went, without considerable mo,estation and personal danger, as well from the anger of the populace, as of their respective rulers.

It is probable also that the preachers of Christianity adopted new rules of conduct; conforming in their own persons to those precepts which they preached to others; because this is what every teacher must do, visibly at least, to obtain converts.

2nd. There is evidence on this point from profane testimony. Tacitus relates the dreadful sufferings of Christians under Nero; and gives an indirect testimony to the active exertions of its propagators, by telling us that an "ingens multitudo" of Christians were cruelly put to death. Suetonius and Juvenal also name the cruel nature of these persecutions; and Pliny Junior, in a letter to Trajan, describes their great numbers; and their persecutions from popular fury, without any formal edict from the Roman government. Moreover, it appears from Pliny and from Martial, that their sufferings were undergone voluntarily, and that they might have avoided them by joining in the heathen sacrifices.

3rd. There is indirect evidence of it from the Scriptures themselves.

There are four separate histories of Christ's life; an account of the acts of his principal followers for nearly thirty years; and several public and private Epistles. In all these there are various allusions to

the persecutions of Christ and his followers; thus affording a casual and undesigned testimony, and therefore, in such a case as this, the more valuable. Besides Christ, the founder of the religion, was persecuted and put to death: what could his disciples expect but persecution? Again, Christ is represented as foretelling their persecutions, therefore he either really foretold them, and they took place; or else they took place, and then the historians in consequence falsely ascribed the words to Christ. The books of the New Testament also abound with exhortations to patience, and topics of comfort under distress, which cannot be accounted for if persecutions did not exist.

4th. There is direct evidence of it in the New Testament. It contains an account of the rise and progress of the religion from its first promulgation by its founder, to thirty years after His death. And in this we have, not in regular set form, but occasionally and dispersedly, in the progress of the history, statements of the continued persecutions of the Apostles through the whole course of their ministry; plainly and ingenuously told; and incidentally but strongly corroborated by undesigned coincidences between these histories and private letters.

The ancient Fathers Clement and Hermas (both

mentioned by St. Paul,) Polycarp (contemporary with St. John,) and Ignatius (contemporary with Polycarp,) all bear testimory to the truth of this

statement.

5th. Observations upon the foregoing.

Although the Scripture history leaves the general account soon, and then refers only to an individual Apostle, yet it shews the nature of the service. And that all of them were similarly treated, may be inferred from numerous passages in the letters or Epistles in which the writer speaks of their enduring like sufferings with himself. In the beginning of the history, too, we find that all were punished, imprisoned, and beaten; that one was stoned; another beheaded; and that many were obliged to fly their country and all this within ten years after Christ's death.

These are only effects, for which adequate causes are ascribed, viz. the active exertions of the propagators of a religion adverse to the prejudices, hopes, and wishes of the Jews, and tending to decry and overthrow the established worship of every other country.

There is both direct and internal evidence of a change of life assumed by the primitive followers of Christ. We read of their " continuing with one

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accord in prayer and supplication;" of their being frequently and daily " assembled together to pray;" that the first word of their preaching was always 66 repent." We have many allusions in their letters to their change of heart and manners; ex. gra. speaking of the lascivious Gentiles, it is said, "wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot;" to the Roman converts the question is put, "What fruit had ye, then, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?" Pliny also, in his letter to the Emperor, bears ample testimony to this point. He says of Christians, that "they used to meet before day-light and sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god; and bind themselves by an oath to commit no theft, robbery, or adultery; never to falsify their word," &c. &c.

6th. Their story was miraculous.

From what has been advanced, it appears evident that many persons acted as the proposition states, for some particular story; now that it was miraculous, i. e. that they pretended to miraculous evidence, appears very highly probable from the nature of the case. No achievement of valour or conquest, or strength or policy, was attributed to Jesus Christ; he had wrought no deliverance for the Jews; and therefore unless they ascribed miracles to him, their